Storage provisioning and configuration of network protocol parameters

Abstract

Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems include a management server receiving, from each of a plurality of switches, physical topology data of network nodes. The physical topology data includes identifiers of hosts connected to each of the switches and identifiers of storage connected to each of the switches. The management server transmits a query to each of the network nodes and receives, in response to each query, the capabilities of each network node. In response to receiving a request to create a cluster of the hosts, the management server selects hosts and storage from the physical topology data to create the cluster. The hosts and storage are selected based upon the capabilities received from each network node. The management server determines transport protocol login service parameters based upon the received storage capabilities and transmits the parameters to one or more of the plurality of switches, hosts, and storage.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 receiving, from each of a plurality of switches, physical topology data of network nodes, the physical topology data including identifiers of a plurality of hosts connected to the plurality of switches and of a plurality of storage connected to plurality of switches; 
 transmitting a query to each of a plurality of the network nodes to determine capabilities of each network node; 
 receiving, in response to each query, the capabilities of each network node; 
 receiving a request to create a cluster of one or more of the hosts and one or more of the storage, wherein the cluster is managed as a single entity, and wherein creating the cluster comprises;
 selecting hosts and storage from the physical topology data to create the cluster, wherein the selection is based upon the received capabilities and available paths defined by the physical topology data; and 
 creating the cluster with the selected hosts and storage; 
 
 determining transport protocol login service parameters for the selected hosts and storage based upon the received capabilities, the transport protocol login service parameters include compatible parameter values selected for parameters received from the selected hosts and storage such that the selected hosts and storage communicate without protocol negotiation between the respective hosts and storage; and 
 configuring one or more of the plurality of switches and the selected hosts and storage to use the determined transport protocol login service parameters, wherein the configuring includes transmitting the determined transport protocol login service parameters to the one or more of the plurality of switches and the selected hosts and storage. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the transport protocol login service parameters include fabric login parameters. 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the transport protocol login service parameters include port login parameters. 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the transport protocol login service parameters include process login parameters. 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein each query is transmitted via an out-of-band connection to each network node. 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the received request includes a minimum storage capability, and wherein the selecting includes selecting hosts and storage that meet the minimum storage capability. 
     
     
       7. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining logical paths between the selected hosts and the selected storage based upon physical topology data; and 
 transmitting, to each of the switches, the determined logical paths to program flow tables within the switches. 
 
     
     
       8. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a first unique identifier for a first selected host as an initiator and a second unique identifier for a first selected storage as a target; and 
 transmitting the first unique identifier to the one of the selected hosts and the second unique identifier for one of the selected storage to facilitate communication between the first host and the first storage. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , wherein creating the cluster further comprises selecting a replication plan and transmitting instructions to one or more switches to execute network replication. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the transport protocol login service parameters includes selecting parameter values such that the selected hosts and the switches communicate without negotiating fabric protocol parameter values between the hosts and switches. 
     
     
       11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, which when executed by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform a method comprising:
 receiving, from each of a plurality of switches, physical topology data of network nodes, the physical topology data including identifiers of a plurality of hosts connected to the plurality of switches and of a plurality of storage connected to plurality of switches; 
 transmitting a query to each of a plurality of the network nodes to determine capabilities of each network node; 
 receiving, in response to each query, the capabilities of each network node; 
 receiving a request to create a cluster of one or more of the hosts and one or more of the storage, wherein the cluster is managed as a single entity, and wherein creating the cluster comprises;
 selecting hosts and storage from the physical topology data, wherein the selection is based upon the received capabilities; and 
 creating the cluster with the selected hosts and storage; 
 
 determining transport protocol login service parameters for the selected hosts and storage based upon the received capabilities, the transport protocol login service parameters including compatible parameter values selected for parameters received from the selected hosts and storage such that the selected hosts and storage communicate without protocol negotiation between the respective hosts and storage; and 
 configuring one or more of the plurality of switches and the selected hosts and storage to use the determined transport protocol login service parameters, wherein the configuring includes transmitting the determined transport protocol login service parameters to the one or more of the plurality of switches and the selected hosts and storage. 
 
     
     
       12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the transport protocol login service parameters include fabric login parameters. 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the transport protocol login service parameters include port login parameters. 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the transport protocol login service parameters include process login parameters. 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein each query is transmitted via an out-of-band connection to each network node. 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the received request includes a minimum storage capability, and wherein the selecting includes selecting hosts and storage that meet the minimum storage capability. 
     
     
       17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , the method further comprising:
 determining logical paths between the selected hosts and the selected storage based upon physical topology data; and 
 transmitting, to each of the switches, the determined logical paths to program flow tables within the switches. 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , the method further comprising:
 generating a first unique identifier for a first selected host as an initiator and a second unique identifier for a first selected storage as a target; and 
 transmitting the first unique identifier to the one of the selected hosts and the second unique identifier for one of the selected storage to facilitate communication between the first host and the first storage. 
 
     
     
       19. A management server comprising:
 a processing device; and 
 a memory coupled to the processing device, the memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processing device, cause the management server to:
 receive, from each of a plurality of switches, physical topology data of network nodes, the physical topology data including identifiers of a plurality of hosts connected to the plurality of switches and of a plurality of storage connected to plurality of switches; 
 transmit a query to each of a plurality of the network nodes to determine capabilities of each network node; 
 receive, in response to each query, the capabilities of each network node; 
 receive a request to create a cluster of one or more of the hosts and one or more of the storage, wherein the cluster is managed as a single entity, and wherein creating the cluster comprises;
 selecting hosts and storage from the physical topology data, wherein the selection is based upon the received capabilities and available paths defined by the physical topology data; and 
 creating the cluster with the selected hosts and storage; 
 
 determine transport protocol login service parameters for the selected hosts and storage based upon the received capabilities, the transport protocol login service parameters including compatible parameter values selected for parameters received from the selected hosts and storage such that the selected hosts and storage communicate without protocol negotiation between the respective hosts and storage; and 
 configure one or more of the plurality of switches and the selected hosts and storage to use the determined transport protocol login service parameters, wherein the configuring includes transmitting the determined transport protocol login service parameters to the one or more of the plurality of switches and the selected hosts and storage. 
 
 
     
     
       20. The management server of  claim 19 , wherein the transport protocol login service parameters include fabric login parameters. 
     
     
       21. The management server of  claim 19 , wherein the transport protocol login service parameters include port login parameters. 
     
     
       22. The management server of  claim 19 , wherein the transport protocol login service parameters include process login parameters.